Saturday, December 01, 2007

Meridian Opens, Wine Gadgets, Housekeeping, and The Quiz

Meridian On Meridian: Early reports are beginning to trickle in as foodies try out the new Meridian on Meridian. After an extensive renovation of the former Dodd's Townhouse -- right down to the original two-story log cabin, Meridian opened Monday under the care of chef Dan Dunville (nee Ruth's Chris, nee Dunaways, nee Broad Ripple Steakhouse.) Early reports are that it's well-designed, inviting, with an interesting (if safe) menu. Look for my first impressions next week. (No matter the food, many are just thrilled to have a conveniently located restaurant in the neighborhood with parking.) Menus and hours are online at their website. They're open for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday as well as Sunday brunch (which is cooked to order, thank goodness, and not an atrocious "leftovers" buffet.)


What I Want for Christmas: Last night at a dinner party, one chef arrived with a few bottles of *fantastic* wine a decade old. The problem? Heavy sediment coating the inside of the bottles. The solution? One of the niftiest and least messy wine funnels I've seen in a long time The maker? Screwpull, of course. It is a perfect fit for odd decanters with a mesh insert and a special drip catching stand so it doesn't make a mess. Santa, I've been good!

What's for Breakfast? Salmon from The Goose cured in honey and spices. Sweet and delicious, it's perfect with cream cheese and eggs. Also, try the salmon pastrami. Oh, so good. Planning on a natural Christmas turkey or goose? Christopher is taking orders now.

Excuse the Mess: Dear readers, please excuse the mess while we update things around here a little. I'm no graphic designer, but even I think things have gotten a little cluttery around here lately. I'm tinkering with a few new things so every day may be an adventure for a while. Blogger did some updating to their interface (especially to the comments section) but everything should be back to normal now.

Quiz Answer: A bouquet garni is any bundle of fresh herbs tied together (or put in a cheesecloth), added to stock or French dish like pot au feu, then removed before serving. Today, a bouquet garni can include just about anything like fennel, rosemary or sage, but a traditional preparation contains only three classic ingredients -- parsley, thyme, and bay leaf. After that soft ball capon quiz, this one was a bit of a stumper -- only 34 percent of you got it right.

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